This invention relates to sunshade louvers for automobiles, and is directed particularly to an improved construction of such louvers providing for quick and easy assemblage thereof from a kit of the individual parts.
Various types of rear window sunshade louvers for automobiles, more particularly sports cars, have heretofore been devised, substantially, all of which are fabricated of stamped or otherwise formed sheet-metal vanes supported in relatively fixed, parallel relation with the use of interjoining side members. If prefabricated at the factory, marginal end portions of the metal vanes are commonly staked in U-shaped channels formed along the side members. If designed to be shipped and sold in "knock-down" condition as a set of parts for assemblage by the purchaser or user, the vane marginal end portions are secured to the side members with the use of either machine screws or sheet-metal screws. These methods of assembly heretofore known have been found to be deficient in various respects. For example, in the prefabricated assemblage, staking together of the parts is undependable in achieving secure mechanical interconnection. Moreover, neither method is suitable for assemblage from a kit by the user. Thus, while the use of machine screws or sheet-metal screws enables assemblage from a kit of the parts, this is a difficult and tedious task because of the great number of screws and screwdriver operations required.
It is, accordingly, the principal object of this invention to provide a novel and improved mechanism for the assemblage of automobile louvers which lends itself equally well either to prefabrication at the factory, or assemblage from a kit of the parts by the user or purchaser.
A more particular object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method and means for the assemblage of automobile louver vanes to their supporting side channel members wherein stamped sheet metal clips fitted in openings in marginal end portions of the louver vanes serve to interhookingly engage against hook wall portions within longitudinally extending slots in the side channel member into which the vane ends are inserted.
Another object of the invention is to provide an automobile louver construction of the above nature wherein the marginal end portions of the louvers, fitted with their interhooking clips, can readily be manually inserted into their respective side channel members in side-to-side, abutting relation therealong by a simple manual pushing operation and without the use of tools.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an automobile louver assemblage of the character described which is particularly well suited to fabrication in "knock-down" or kit form because of the simplicity and ease with which assembly can be done by the purchaser or user.
Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.